


You Can't Have One Without The Other

by EcchiSenpai



Series: Shortbread Cookie With A Glass Of Milk [1]
Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Bottom Okumura Eiji, Fluff and Humor, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Misunderstandings, Secret Relationship, Threesome - M/M/M, Top Ash Lynx, Top Shorter Wong, asheiji, but not really, its a mess, seriously we need more shorasheiji, shorash, shorasheiji, shoreiji, shortbread cookie, the gangs just dont know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-04
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 09:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22114678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EcchiSenpai/pseuds/EcchiSenpai
Summary: Eiji is cheating on Ash with Shorter?!Or, wait...Was it Eiji cheating on Shorter with Ash?
Relationships: Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji, Ash Lynx/Okumura Eiji/Shorter Wong, Ash Lynx/Shorter Wong, Okumura Eiji/Shorter Wong
Series: Shortbread Cookie With A Glass Of Milk [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1591792
Comments: 9
Kudos: 304





	You Can't Have One Without The Other

**Author's Note:**

> One of the most underrated ships! Tag along for the ride, and I promise you'll fall in love with this ship, all while they're falling for each other.

Everyone and anyone that was associated with the underworld of New York City knew that Eiji was a taken man. It was not only apparent in the way he was so closely involved with gangs that he technically wasn't apart of, but also in the way that anyone who came a mile within him with any ill intent was brought down before the perpetrator knew what was coming.

To outsiders, the answer to the mystery of which prominent gang member who had enough influence to make others tremble in fear at the mere thought of crossing paths with Eiji and was his rumored lover would forever remain unknown. But to those who were lucky enough to be acquainted with the Japanese man, the answer that could probably be sold for a fortune at this point was already known. Or rather, it was partly known.

"Ash! Come here for a second!"

"What is it, onii-chan? Some people have work to do, you know."

Despite how annoyed the blond feigned to be, the gang members that were present all knew that the fond smile on their boss's face when he was called by his lover said otherwise.

Looking back, the gang was never actually given any special announcement that explicitly stated that the two were dating. Nope. That was not how their boss rolled. Instead, they were able to piece together the puzzle through the little intimate moments that the duo would share, one such as now where Ash is listening intently to Eiji ramble and ask questions about a passage in a book he had lent him, all while having this gentle expression settled on his usually hardened face.

They didn't need Ash or Eiji to tell them anything. Their bond was already as clear as day.

Now, if only something else was just as clear.

~

"Is that Eiji and Shorter?"

Alex and Kong halt in their steps and avert their attention in the direction that Bones is pointing, and sure enough, they spot the Japanese and Chinese man chatting casually outside a cafe. And because they have the time, and definitely not because Alex couldn't stop Bones or Kong from dragging him along, they decide to go and greet the two before going back to the base.

As the trio gets closer, they become increasingly aware of their interlocked hands on the table. Although a bit strange, none of them seem to think anything of it. This, however, changes at the next set of events that occur just after Eiji rips his hand away from the latter and leans back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest.

Shorter must have said something to upset Eiji, because the next thing they knew, his brows were furrowed and the corners of his lips were curved downwards. Though, as quick as it came, his scrunched up brows were kissed away by the purple haired man, followed by another kiss to the lips to replace that frown with a slowly forming smile.

It looked ridiculous considering that the two were sat across from each other, so Shorter had to lean all the way across the table to get to Eiji, who had leaned as far back as he could to put as much distance as possible between them. Of course, the peppering of kisses upon Eiji's face became much easier once the two met halfway, one of them now a giggling mess and the other the ever generous distributor of said kisses.

Everything seemed to slow down when the duo locked lips one final time, this kiss lasting much longer than the rest. They broke apart shortly after, but their newly intertwined hands stayed on the table for all to see.

And oh. _Oh._

There was that fond look on Eiji's face, the same look that he always had for Ash, the one that apparently wasn't just for him after all.

The shock of everything really was too much for them to comprehend, for they ended up turning right around and bolting the hell out of there before they were caught witnessing something they believed was meant to be a secret. With something so scandalous, there's no way news of this tryst was kept from the other members, and boy was there an uproar.

"I just can't believe that sweet Eiji is a two-timing piece of-" Bones stops short, looking as if he physically could not finish his sentence."No, I can't even bring myself to say that about precious Eiji."

Similarly, there were other boys who looked as if they, too, could not accept the truth of what was recently discovered. There was was just no way that Eiji would cheat on Ash with Shorter, and there was an even lesser chance that Shorter would stab Ash in the back like this.

Right?

Alex, who's been sitting at the bar since they got back, finally stood up and raised his voice to try and bring some order back. "Will you all calm down? There's probably a good explanation as to what we saw."

"But Alex," Kong began, standing to match the second in command, "you saw it, too! It was clear as day that Shorter was smooching up on Eiji."

"Eiji even gave him _the look,_ " Bones added rather quietly, as if he still did not believe what he saw.

Everyone gave out a collective gasp, and murmurs began breaking out throughout the base.

This particular look that shocked the gang even more than the retelling of the events that transpired was the aforementioned look that they've seen Ash and Eiji share countless times before. The look of absolute fondness, absolute care, and absolute _love_.

Even if Alex was shaken up by the current situation, as second in command, it was his job to make sure that things didn't get out of hand. He had to crush all the uncertainty that had begun to form, even if he was just as doubtful as the others.

"Look, if it's bothering you all so much, why don't we just go and ask boss and Eiji about it in person?" he offered.

This suggestion was reasonable and was also the fastest way to resolve things. So, they all agree and decide to head straight for the duo's shared apartment.

~

Back with Eiji and Shorter, things are going much smoother than the chaos at the base.

"I still can't believe you would say that."

Eiji was pouting again, and Shorter was as quick as ever to soothe him by rubbing little circles onto the back of his hand.

"It was only a joke, Eiji. Ash wouldn't miss our anniversary for the world."

Speak of the devil...

"Sorry I'm late." Ash takes a breath and holds up a paper bag. "It took a while for me to get these."

His tardiness is only met with beaming smiles and his boyfriends urging him to "hurry up and sit your ass down." And who is he to deny his lovers' request?

"So, what's in the bag?" Shorter asks, his whole body practically vibrating with excitement.

Ash shakes his head. "Straight to the point, are we?"

"I wanna make sure that whatever's in this bag is worth making your precious boyfriends wait for your crusty ass."

Ash leans back in his chair, a grimace on his face. "As much as I love you two, I really hope you hate it and burn them."

Eiji and Shorter share a look but take a peek into the bag anyway. The second their eyes land on what's inside, they're looking at each other then Ash in disbelief.

"You're joking," Shorter says incredulously as he pulls out one of the t-shirts.

"I wish I was."

Shorter's eyes are literal diamonds, sparkling in that blinding way that makes you wish you could look away, as he's fixated on admiring the picture of a cheerleading strip of bacon. Eiji is radiating that same kind of endearing childlike energy as he inspects his own shirt with the cheerleading tomato.

"Happy anniversary," Ash says offhandedly, not exactly expecting to be heard. He's content with watching how something as simple as matching t-shirts could make the loves of his life so happy.

Those sparkling pairs of eyes are then directed at the blond, and he's all but being engulfed in a giant group hug, along with lots of kisses from both parties, who make sure not to leave an inch of Ash's face untouched.

"We love you, Ash!"

"Love you losers, too."

Shorter keeps his arms around Ash and directs that same enthusiasm to his other boyfriend.

"Eiji, baby, we are living the dream."

The ravenette hugs Ash's head closer to his chest and plants a light kiss on the crown of it. "It's all thanks to our dreamy boyfriend."

Ash gets a chop in the neck when he calls Eiji gross, leaving him choking on his own spit. As the two engage in a fit of playful banter, Shorter pulls away from the hug with a chuckle and goes to check his phone.

"You guys go on ahead. I need to go and pick something up."

"Pick up what?" Ash asks casually, as if he wasn't bothered by Eiji's headlock. 

Shorter just winks at him and puts on his signature grin, the one that never fails to get both of his boyfriends' hearts feeling warm and fuzzy. "It's a surprise."

And so, with a promise to meet up in an hour, he makes some kind of weird salute and leaves a $20 on the table before rushing away.

"Where do you think he's going?" Eiji had already sat down after straightening out the collar of his shirt that was mussed in his and Ash's play fight and was now sipping on his forgotten coffee.

Ash gives a shrug of the shoulders and picks up Shorter's abandoned cup. "Probably to get us a last minute anniversary gift." He takes a sip of Shorter's coffee and scrunches up his face at the overly sweet taste on his tongue.

Unsatisfied with Shorter's poor decision to over sugar his coffee, he takes the bill and gets up to go buy himself his own drink. He looks back at Eiji and waves the bill in the air, a smirk plastered lazily on his face.

"Want anything? It's on Shorter."

"Share a slice of cake with me?" Eiji asks from the edge of his cup.

"Didn't we already have cake at lunch?"

"Didn't you already down a full pot of coffee this morning?"

Ash squints his eyes at Eiji whose mischievous smile was enough to show who had won.

"Fair enough."

~

While Ash's gang wholeheartedly believes that Ash and Eiji are totally in love and totally dating, the Chinatown mafia members wholeheartedly swear on their lives that Shorter and Eiji are an item. With this in mind, there's an equal amount of disbelief and pure shock that ripples across Chinatown when it's reported that a scout spotted Ash and Eiji being all lovey dovey in front of a cafe.

Obviously, that's not all that the scout saw, otherwise everyone would simply call bullshit. The real kicker is the photos that were sneakily taken of the two in the scout's baffled state. 

One photo had Eiji feeding Ash a forkful of cake, while another captured Ash wiping some frosting onto Eiji's nose. The next one was of Eiji 'innocently' sucking his fingers of the frosting he wiped off his nose, and even in photo form, Ash's stiff posture gave away how affected he was by the action.

The scout must have had a spasm or something, because the following picture was way too blurry to make out any fine details. What they could make out from the shapes alone was that, for some reason, one of Ash's hands was touching Eiji's mouth while the latter was clutching his wrist. One could only imagine what naughty act was captured, but the furious blush that overtook the scout's face when it was shown was enough of a telltale sign.

The last photo was much clearer, but what was frozen in time in that one frame made the members wish that it was too blurry to see anything. In it, both Ash and Eiji were leaning in, lips locked in what appeared to be a tender kiss. Ash had one hand loosely cupping Eiji's face, and even from the distance that the photo was taken, their smiles as they kissed were the most eye-catching part of the whole scene.

A wave of silence befalls the room as each member says a silent prayer for their boss, and even a few beats pass, no one says a word. What can they say? What _should_ they say?

"I don't believe it."

All heads turn to Sing who is calmly sitting in one of the armchairs. He isn't looking at the photos anymore, rather, he's looking determinedly at the others.

"But Sing-" someone tries to say, but is abruptly interrupted.

"I don't believe for a goddamn second that Ash, Shorter's best friend and partner in crime, would ever hurt him like this, nor do I believe that someone as pure and good-natured as Eiji would do something as disgraceful as cheating."

His words alone are enough to plunge the room in another bout of silence. This time, he doesn't sit through it and gets up with a fire in his eyes.

"I'm getting to the bottom of this, and anyone that wants the truth is welcome to tag along."

Sing really is leader material, if how quickly more than a handful of guys with the same flames of determination in their eyes followed after him is anything to go by. 

Let's see where that determination gets them.

~

It's just nearing dinnertime when Ash's gang gathers outside of Ash and Eiji's apartment door. For a while, they all just stand there, staring at the door and mentally preparing themselves for the worst to come. 

Finally, Alex goes to doorbell, but he stops short at the sound of moaning. Right then, he didn't realize that the group of rambunctious boys that came along could ever be this quiet, but to be fair, it is kind of hard to not try to focus and listen in on something so...scandalous. Yes, scandalous, because upon closer inspection, the higher-pitched of the moans belonged to Eiji, while the much deeper ones were undeniably from Shorter.

"I can't believe Eiji would do such a thing in the very apartment that he shares with boss!" Kong whisper-shouted, a slight tinge of pain laced in with his perplexity. 

With how scandalized and utterly _lost_ the rest of them looked, one would think that it was them that was being cheated on.

"I think we should catch them in the act." 

Whether it be from their currently clouded thoughts or from some spurt of foolhardy resistance to simply accept the situation at hand, a series of approving mutters rang around the group.

All the while, Alex has his ear pressed against the door, his eyebrows furrowing quite a bit when, for the briefest of moments, he catches a third set of moans.

"Wait, guys. I don't think-"

Too late.

Kong has already taken the spare key they were given and used it to unlock the door. Before Alex can stop them, Kong has already thrown open the door, and the others have all taken a determined step into the apartment in order to catch Eiji and Shorter in the act.

They did, in fact, catch the two in a compromising position, but what they didn't expect was to see Ash joining in on the fun.

To paint a visual of what they saw, Eiji was bent over doggy style on top of the dining table, tears slipping past hooded eyes and dripping onto flushed skin. Shorter was sitting on his knees on the table as well, with his dick stuffed in Eiji's mouth and one hand gripping disheveled, dark locks. Ash was standing right behind Eiji, hands gripping onto bruised skin and hips rocking to their own steady rhythm as he fucked Eiji.

It truly was a sight to see.

Going back to the gang's predicament, although Eiji may have been too dazed and occupied to notice the sudden appearance of Ash's gang, Ash and Shorter, being the trained survivors that they were, were perfectly aware of the extra pairs of eyes that invaded their privacy. Shorter seemed the least affected by them. If anything, he was probably even more turned on, but Ash was different. The second the door was swung open, he was already glaring at the intruders, and that glare only intensified when he realized it was his own gang members.

They all knew what that glare meant, and they also knew that if they wanted the even the slightest chance of seeing tomorrow, they'd get the hell out of there. Now. 

So that's exactly what they did.

They said nothing as they all bolted out the way they came, all of them screaming the same exact thing in their heads.

_We're so fucking dead._

In their fleeing from the lethal killing machine that was their boss, no one remembered to close the door. Oh, what a truly fateful mistake. For the Chinatown mafia, of course.

~

When Sing and the gang arrived, they were immediately bombarded with screaming. It was a mix of Ash, Eiji, and Shorter's names being screamed all at once, and that alone freaked them the fuck out.

Their initial thought was that their boss had found out about Eiji's infidelity and decided to confront the duo himself, a confrontation that ultimately escalated into some kind of fierce fight.

With this dangerous image in their heads, Sing quickly led the group to the apartment and wasted no time in running through the already opened door to try and stop the trio from supposedly killing each other.

Yeah, they expected to see some bruises and blood and other indiscernible bodily fluids, maybe even a tooth here and here, but nothing could have prepared them for what it is now forever burned into each and every one of their memories.

The scene they saw was much more tame than the one Ash's gang experienced, but the impact may have been a bit more lasting.

They got to witness what each of their faces looked like when they reached their climax, they heard how each of them _screamed_ in pleasure when said climax was reached, and fuck, were some of them shamelessly turned on by what the aftermath of it all looked like.

The Chinatown mafia got front row seats to see just how messy and wrecked the infamous Ash Lynx and Shorter Wong looked when having sex, and of course they also got to see just how heavenly an already beautiful person like Eiji could look covered in ribbons upon ribbons of glistening white cum.

All in all, it was _something_. 

None of them had enough time to put a name to that something before an annoyed clearing of a throat broke them out of their dazed stupor.

"Are you perverts going to keep staring at us, or are you going to get the hell out before I make you?"

Ah, that's right. No matter how blissed out he looked just a moment ago, the Lynx still had the same amount of deadly bite to his words and steel to his glare that promised that he would most definitely get up from hugging Eiji's waist and beat the shit out of them if need be, stark naked and covered in cum. No fucks would be given.

Sing and the crew at least had the decency to look embarrassed as they all collectively cleared their throats and turned their whole bodies fully away from the trio.

Ash had no clue as to why they were still there, but at least they were away from prying eyes. Honestly, he was too tired to care at this point. Instead, he opted for covering up Eiji's body with his own, wanting to relish in his warmth for a little longer before he got up to clean them all up.

Eiji was barely awake and was acutely aware of their uninvited guests, but he, too, did not give a care in the world. He just wanted Ash's body to stay closely pressed to his and for Shorter's hand to keep running through his hair. God, he was tired.

Shorter, the ever more energetic of the three, was still sitting up with Eiji's cheek pressed to his thigh and each of his hands caressing each of his boyfriends. With his gang still in the room, he felt the strong urge to burst into laughter, but he had a mild suspicion that Ash would punch him in the dick if he did anything but dismiss them. 

He knew his boys, his literal family, and also knew that they wouldn't do something so reckless without cause. This was a matter that would not go ignored for sure, but now was not the time. Not when he could already hear soft snores coming from Eiji and see Ash's eyes slowly closing shut.

No. His babies came first.

"Sing," he calls out, making said boy jump in surprise. Though it's not enough to make him turn around.

"Take the gang back to Chinatown. We'll deal with this later."

Shorter sees the boy nod, and then they're all bowing once, twice, thrice while still turned the other direction. They all rush out of the room as soon as they hear Shorter shooing them away again. This time, they don't forget to close the door on their way out.

A comfortable silence settles in the room as the three are now allowed to rest in peace without any more interruptions. 

Then, 

"You two are bleaching the entire kitchen."

Ash grumbles and tightens his arms around Eiji. 

"It was Shorter's idea. Make him do it."

"Nuh-uh, mister! You made the first move!" Shorter fires back, careful not to jostle Eiji's head too much. "You're just as responsible as I am!"

He only got a middle finger as a response.

Before Shorter could get poutier than he knew he already was, Eiji presses his lips to his thigh in an effort to pacify him.

"Fine. It will be a family activity."

"I don't think ridding the kitchen of our unholy body fluids is very family friendly."

Ash just narrowly dodges Eiji's smack to the face.

"Love you, too, honey."

And again, they're left to relish in each other's presence, not at all minding how sticky and wet they were. Such a peaceful moment could only last for so long...

A loud grumble pierced through the air, effectively breaking what little peace they had.

"Way to ruin the mood, lover boy."

"Fuck you-"

"Go ahead."

Eiji lifts himself up with a heavy sigh, forcing Ash to get up in the process.

"If you both help me clean the kitchen, we can finally eat the dinner I originally planned to make for you two."

Shorter wiggles his brows at him. "My bad, Eiji. I figured we could skip to dessert first."

"Yeah, and now your stomach is waking the neighbors." 

You just gotta love Ash and his irritatingly witty self.

Another sigh escapes Eiji's bruised lips, but this time, it's more of one of contentment. As he's watching his lovers go at it, he can't help but think that he wants this forever.

Without much warning, he's suddenly giving each one a slow, meaningful kiss before pulling them all into a sticky, warm hug. 

"I love you two," he whispers, so that only the three of them could hear.

And amidst everything else, he lets himself be taken in by the warmth of the two people that he loves the most, only vaguely catching their whispers of _'I love you'_ s over the rapid beating of his lovers' hearts.

Yeah.

Forever sounds nice.

~

"Okay. Which one of you wants to explain to me why the fuck you all were barging into our apartment, uninvited and unannounced?"

Ash's gang and the Chinatown mafia were all gathered in one room, the incidents of the previous night being too much alike to not have been related to each other. The two gang leaders figured they'd interrogate them all at the same time to make life much easier.

Though, the way it's looking, Ash is the only one doing the interrogating. Shorter was off to the side, serving as a pillow for a fast asleep Eiji.

Evidently, the Japanese man had fallen asleep on Ash first, but when the meeting began, he carefully carried him over to Shorter, who had no problem letting Ash take over the meeting in favor of serving as a form of comfort for Eiji.

Looking at their dynamic now, the boys around them almost felt stupid for not seeing just how perfectly everything clicked into place. This was how the trio always acted, and yet, how the gangs didn't notice their relationship sooner was beyond them.

As embarrassing as it all was for the involved parties, there really wasn't anything worth hiding, so it all spilled like a can of beans.

It was revealed how Ash's gang thought Eiji was cheating on Ash with Shorter and how the Chinatown mafia thought that Eiji was cheating on Shorter with Ash. As such, they also talked about how both groups reached the same conclusion of talking it out with the trio in person, which led to what transpired the night before.

Once Alex and Sing were done explaining their sides of the story, Shorter was on the side, clutching at his gut for laughing too hard, while Ash had to take a seat to process everything. Eiji was woken up by Shorter's boisterous laughter, and even he found it hilarious once it was retold to him.

"What am I gonna do with you lot?"

Despite how tired Ash sounded, he couldn't help but be grateful to have friends like them, who actually went through the trouble to seek them out in person instead of merely believing whatever fantasies they made up themselves. 

When all was said and done, the two gangs found themselves mingling with each other as they joked and poked fun at one another for their silly mistake. Ash, Eiji, and Shorter decided to enter their own little world, leaving the others to entertain themselves. 

The three of them had fallen asleep on the long sofa, limbs freely tangling in all over the place, making them truly look like one mystic creature.

And if soft photos of the trio sleeping were passed around that night, you'd best believe that it was a treasure exclusive to those that were lucky enough to be a part of Ash, Eiji, and Shorter's life.

Would you like to be a part of their adventure, too?

Well, buckle up, 'cause there's always something going on in the lives of the shortbread cookie ship, so you might as well tag along for the ride.


End file.
